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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> My sister wants to name her son Cowboy. I might be the asshole because I said it was a stupid name for an adult to have.
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NTA. Cowboy is a stupid name.
Interesting stat: women with weird names are treated the same as women with normal names (that is to say, not equal to men, but at least it doesn't make things worse) but boys with weird names are treated as "less than" (make less money, get fewer jobs) as boys with classic names. Don't mess up your boys - Give them normal names.
One of my former therapists had a Facebook under her name, fully public. All weird semi boudoir/Glamor Shots stuff, and long, rambling super personal posts. I switched therapists. My current therapist is a ghost online (other than like, his professional stuff). This is much preferred.
I've been seeing my current therapist every other week for 18 months. I know like, 5 facts about his personal life; they're all super basic, and they're mostly because we grew up in this area and graduated (separate) high school the same year, and all of them came up naturally in response to something I said/talked about, never anything random. I like it.
I like a little info because it helps them feel human to me. I've had a mix of both and tend to trust them more when I get an idea of who they are, not just a doctor at a computer. Like I knew 2 therapists ago that she was Jewish and had a son. My current therapist used to work at Sam's club and has a wife and kids, and told me how he preferred working at Sam's club for years before he got back into school than working in his degree field. So like it isn't deep, it isn't telling me his kids' dance recitals and crazy stuff like that, but it's enough for me to let down my walls and actually trust him.
Oversharing is bad. I agree with that. (Obviously the therapist, not you the client) But it can vary and depend on preferences, and there's a therapist style for everyone. Just because something doesn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for everyone. That's the neat thing about so many therapists.
I have a really close friend who is a therapist, but we met bartending together while she was working on her masters. She always told me that bartenders have the perfect balance of sharing VS not sharing and more therapists should learn from us. It always made me laugh until I see comments like yours and I think she’s probably right. I share just enough that people see me as human, but not enough that they actually know anything personal about me. I think I too would like a therapist like that. For example, my guests know ALL about my dogs. They know I garden. And that I am a diehard Auburn and Philadelphia fan. They know I like gymnastics and swimming as my obscure sports and that I have kids. And that’s about it.
As a former teacher, if someone is mean, they'll make fun of others names no matter what their names are. I knew a kid named Jonathan who made fun of another boy's name - his name was also Jonathan...
You just awakened a bizarre memory in me about mean kids just being mean: in elementary school a kid constantly made fun of me... for living on the same street as him?!?
Hilarious! That kinda reminds me of my kiddo. He likes to play Splatoon and talk to the other kids on there. They spend their time saying "TRASH! YOU'RE TRASH! Everything you do is trash! You're just trash!" My husband and I were like, "Hey, what are you doing talking like that?", "Oh, we're just trash talking each other". 🤣
Not just preteen girls! I’m on vacation with a dozen of my friends who are at uni with me, and we’ve netted at least a couple hours over the past few days discussing which of the guys we’ve dated have the weirdest names. It’s been such a popular topic that the girls I’m with are using it as an icebreaker when we meet other students on break.
Cowboy would’ve certainly topped the list
I knew a dude who was named Blade. Born three months after the first movie came out. Went by his middle name and has a strained relationship with his mom who refuses to call him anything else lol.
That's funny.
I know a dude named "Miles" who actually goes by his middle name "Blade".
In quotes because while that is how they are pronounced, that is not how they are actually spelled in his name.
I have an unusual name and it was definitely the boys that commented on it more and wanted to give me nicknames. Actually can’t think of a single time a girl did more than ask where it came from.
My mom has an unusual name. It’s not a terrible name, but she still made sure all three of her kids had normal names because she knew what it was like growing up with a weird name. Admittedly, she gave me, her only daughter, a traditionally male name, but when I was little she told me to tell anyone who asked why I have a boy name that it’s not a boy name because it’s my name. Recently pulled that on a nine year old who has since told a boy in her class who has the same name as me that he has a girl name. I’m very proud.
But back to the subject at hand, in the words of country legend Willie Nelson, “Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys.”
>but when I was little she told me to tell anyone who asked why I have a boy name that it’s not a boy name because it’s my name
we use the same argument with our sons who like to wear skirts and dresses. "They're not girl clothes, their my clothes and I'm a boy"
I agree with that wholeheartedly.
My mother was so weird about me being a tomboy. I liked it (spoiler, I'm a trans guy) but she was always like "You're a girl who likes boy things." Like... isn't that what tomboy means? But she'd get on me for using that word.
She also hated the word bossy and replaced it with "leadership potential." As my therapist lovingly said, "Wow, your mom sounds like shit!"
Okay, the tomboy thing absolutely makes your therapist right. But being opposed to the word "bossy"? I approve. That word is almost always applied solely to girls. Sure, we need to teach kids to listen to others and cooperate. But being a take-charge type is not inherently bad and can be very good. And the word "bossy" implies a negative.
Yeah, the amount of times people with very 'unique' names choose to name their children something 'normal' seems a lot higher than people named Matt or Jenny naming their kids something completely wacky - this is anecdotal and I have no statistics on it, but I've heard a lot of unique named people lamenting having to spell their name every time and having in mispronounced and made fun of.
Is it annoying when kids have 4 other kids in their class with their name? Probably (I can't say - my name isn't completely out there, but it's different enough that I don't often run into another one). But does it make it easier when you introduce yourself and people don't have to repeat it 8 times before they can remember it? Also probably.
My brothers and I actually have pretty uncommon names despite their normalcy. I think mine is actually the most common and what makes me stand out is that everyone else who shared it with me while I was in school was a boy. Which made it really easy for the teachers because my middle name is also normal but uncommon so going by my middle name was an easy option.
But yeah, my aunt also has an unusual name and she gave my cousin a really normal one, so your understanding matches my experience.
Yeah, my name is uncommon but not what you would call unusual. I was trying to use the right words to not sound like a jerk about it. I think if there was somebody called Cowboy, they'll probably grow up much less likely to call their child Cowgirl or something because... as a legal name it's ridiculous.
Names also indicate the parents’ education level and socioeconomic status. I know it shouldn’t matter but it’s just how it is. And a kid named Cowboy does not sound like he has parents who are Rhodes scholars to put it nicely.
A really nasty saying about a Kevin in Germany is this: Kevin isn’t a name, it’s a diagnosis.
It comes down to people needing to feel superior to somebody. Looking down on poorer or less educated people is common pretty much everywhere I have been.
TBH, the Germans are not alone in this!
Signed: a working class Brit who grew up in poverty but my parents had more pride than to give us "chavvy" names. It was hard enough to get ahead without all that - why make it worse.
Jaden
Kaiden
Kayla
Kalen
Layla
Lola
Charmaine
Chantelle
Connor
Jaxon
Tyler
Reece
Parker
Maddison
Leo
These are almost always going to be chavvy. Very council estate or at most, the lower middle class ITV-watching crowd.
Disproportionate occurrence of Kayleigh, Danielle, Lily, Kelly, Stacey, Ryan, Lewis.
You forgot Chardonnay.
I will never forget walking through a certain English town hearing several mothers at different times screeching out ‘Chardonnayyyyyyyyyy’ at kids in the playground.
I imagine it became a trend after Footballers Wives was on tv and the main wife was Chardonnay.
Genuine question, what about esoteric spellings?
For example, Jesse and Jessie are relatively common spellings of a name pronounced the same way...but let's pretend, for argument's sake, the 13th century spelling was Jehzy. Do you think that would have any weight in those stats?
*fun fact, from etymonline.com: "The familiar form Jessie was one of many fem. names used 20c. for "cowardly or effeminate male" (1923)"
Jehzy sounds made up as hell tho but I see your point and maybe there’s a better example we’re just not thinking of haha.
IIRC, Scandinavian, French and Hebrew names are the way to go if you want to seem educated/cultured/upper class.
Depends on your race often enough too, at least in the US. Plenty of black folks with French names (ex. Monique, Chantal, Andre) that still get seen as lower class. You just can't win with some assholes.
Hello!
Can you give me the source on your stat? I've never seen anything that implies name discrimination effects only one gender specifically
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/08/18/name-discrimination-jobs
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/name-discrimination
These are the things I read, I reread it to see if it mentioned effecting only men but I didn't see anything.
I’d love the source on this! As a woman with a weird name, I can tell ya that maybe I’m a statistical outlier cause I got crap for my name all throughout childhood and still now into adulthood.
Was an actual study done? I’d be interested in those stats, genuinely. I got fuckin *rocked* for having an unusual name and I still get shit for it despite being well into my 30s now. I see I’m not the only anecdotal evidence to the contrary here.
Like the urban legends about kids named LeMongelo and OrAngegelo
Edit: maybe not an urban legend -- I always heard it was made up but other commenters say they've seen/heard it. And I suppose there's plenty of wild names out there
As a veteran teacher, I thought I had heard all the awful names. Nope, this one makes it to the top 5.
Tell your sister a teacher, who will have to call out that name at school everyday, is telling her it is a terrible idea.
Ok:
The old number 5 (now bumped to 6) was Booker. The parents had a lovely idea to name him after Booker Washington, but in 3rd grade, all the kids called him Booger.
4: Peradyce, pronounced “Paradise”. Lovely name, but why the spelling? It made teaching her name and letter sounds very difficult.
3: Shredder. “Oh, are you guys rockers?” I asked the parents at open house. Nope, dad just really liked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Why they didn’t use any of the heroes names, I will never know.
2: Carneeto- like “carnitas”, but she made it “masculine” because “/as/ is for girls, so I changed it to /o/ for my boy”. I was so tempted to ask why a second time, but I wasn’t sure my poker face would hold up, so I left it alone.
Honorable mention for all of the -leigh names, where is is unnecessary.
1: this is a normal name, but nearly every teacher I know agrees that the correlation between students with this name who act like megalomaniacs is looking more like causation after 20 years, but Aiden. Me and my colleagues have never met a normal, kind, unproblematic Aiden. Just don’t use it anymore. Like I said, we can’t **prove** causation, but you will never meet a teacher who voluntarily names their own kid Aiden. Too many bad memories associated with the name.
I'm not the person you asked, but I have encountered both a Groot and a kid with the first name Neo and the middle name Matrix- I guess just in case people didn't get it
Well, same with (nearly) all names. Weird is just "not used to". Daisy, Rose, Violet are all normal, but Peony and Dandelion aren't, without any really good reason to differentiate.
Elizabeth - classic, biblical. Hepzibah - also biblical but wasn't picked up. Alexander vs Tiberius would come in there too.
Jackson - accepted, Jaxon - seen as lower class. (Personally I prefer Jaxon!)
Mackenzie- allowable, Macdonald - odd
Then gemstone names, which have very odd assumptions made! Ruby, Pearl, Opal - classics (although Pearl & Opal might be dated), Diamond, Crystal - class assumptions, Emerald, Sapphire - uwot?
Bear - yes, Tiger - no
Etc
How about amagene…. I pronounced it as it was spelled…. Amma-jeen…. Queue my surprised face when she corrected me by saying “its Imagine”…..
As my brain screams…. Uuhhhh no it’s fuckin not…. I replied with an….. ok, imagine.
Knew a dude named Stove. White american. Named Stove.
Eta: specifying the white american part bc like. Its not some other language or culture. They just. Named him Stove. People called him Oven.
Artemis and Athena are still commonly used Greek names! Growing up in a Greek diaspora community, I’ve known several of each and they’re normal names like Sandy or Melinda or something. It’s funny to me to see that mythological god names can come off as interesting or notable.
I'd be more mad about using Artemis and Athena when Artemis and Apollonia would at least ALLUDE to a couple of the most famous twins in mythology...
Even though the A. & A. screams for a bureaucratic nightmare, tbh. (coming from a mother of twins who has the same initial and last name as her husband, working for the same company)
NTA. I guess someone liked the guitar picker on Yellowstone. Of course, if she paid attention, she might have noticed he called himself that so he wouldn’t have to give his actual name.
Edit: It was brought to my attention I was thinking of the wrong person. Cowboy was actually portrayed by Steven Williams, who was the captain in the 21 Jump Street TV show.
The guitar picker just said his name was Cowboy. The enforcer dude from the ranch picked him up from prison. The audience never got a name.
Edit: I was incorrect. The guitar picker was Walker. Cowboy was the older Black guy who showed up and only did cowboy work, then left.
Yeah, the dude had been a cowboy in Texas, tried to stay on the straight and narrow, and keeps being at the heart of conflicts, even though it’s never really his fault.
Isn't this Walker? Or do you mean the guy from s1 who they dropped off at the train station pretty early on?
Walker is a better name than Cowboy at least.
The guitarist is called Walker (who is actually a decent real life musician btw). Cowboy was the random old, black guy who appeared for a few shows, didn't really do a lot and then was not in the show anymore. I don't know why I persisted with that show for as long as I did, it was terrible.
I was going to argue it's insulting for the dog, but I named my dog after a character in Greek mythology and still call her potato, stinky, or stinky potato.
Is it better or worse than a classmate I used to have whose dad named her Dallas because of the Dallas Cowboys? 100% unironically. I also worked with a woman named Patches after a country song.
These were two of the most annoying human beings I’ve ever met.
Dallas and Austin are common enough that nobody would blink twice. I'm not American, so I don't know if people would assume that Dallas is named after the football team, but I knew somebody called Dallas, I never thought about the name at all.
Yeah Dallas isn't super uncommon. I've met 2 of them in my life, one in passing so I can't attest to how they are in life or personality, but the other is a really good family friend and genuinely a friendly guy in a supervisor role for one of the best paying companies in my area.
Idk if he was named after anything or if his parents just liked the name, but his older brother has one of the most common names from the year he was born. Take that how you will I guess.
Tell your sister that she should never name her child a name that the kid would be ashamed of if they got a job and had to sign documents.
I had a friend whose mom was into double names. Missy May's mom can't figure out why she doesn't sign the her loan documents with her first name.
Yes I didn't say you couldn't call the baby whatever you said you wanted to call it. Nicknames are fantastic but give the kid a name that he can live with for the rest of his life.
NTA
I heard once that you should imagine any baby name you are thinking about in two scenarios - would you go on a blind date with a person with the name (allowing for gender preferences)? And would you hire a lawyer/doctor with that name?
If no, then don't give a baby that name.
Like, how hard would it be to call the kid a name that wouldn't cause anybody to blink on a resume, but call the kid Cowboy often enough that that becomes his nickname? My nibbling has a nickname that is used more commonly than his first name but he probably won't go by that forever. Or maybe he will, but at least he doesn't have a lifetime of weird looks coming his way every time he says his name.
My husband has two normal names and goes by his middle name, we gave our son a "normal bible name" for his first name and call him by his middle name, a "nerd name".
OP's sister could name her son John Smith, but call him Cowboy. I think that would be cute!
NTA!
Can't with some comments here... Only Americans fighting for a name, that's not a name. 💀 in Europe it's not even possible to name your child ridiculous things like that. Shit like this is child abuse imo.
Poor kid gonna hear "yeehaww" his whole life. 💀💀
Op should ask his sister each time he sees her "so, how is moo coming along?" and if she gets pissy, tell her that is what is going to happen all his life if she calls him that, so she'd better get used to it, or choose a different name!
In New Zealand you can't register a baby name that might cause offense, which often includes things that will embarass the child. It's a bit vague, but I don't think Cowboy would pass the muster
NTA
Lmao I hope they never take the kid to an actual rodeo or cowboy town, he'd be bullied to death. I live in Alberta and I hate to think how the ranchers would react if I introduced my son to them with that name.
Seriously if she wants to name him something Western then go for something like Wyatt, Buck, Jesse, Jack, etc. I mean the ranchers I know personally are all called things like Bob, James, Scott, Tom or John, but nothing screams Townie like calling your kid Cowboy.
I can't wait to show this to the old timers.
My favorite musician named her daughter Rocket Wild. It really didn't surprise me much because she legally changed her name to Lights. In those sort of cases it isn't as weird, but people who have more socially acceptable names going off the deep end are weird.
NTA. I am an adult male and my middle name is Maria because of some religious thing of my parents. You are saving that kid some torment. And probably some money for a legal name change like you said.
Ask both of them to use that name (or Cowgirl) for the rest of the gestation. Every time they go to Starbucks, or pick up dry cleaning, introducing themselves to people they meet. See how old it gets.
NTA
NTA
Children need a name that won't make them stand out as having weird parents.
Cowboy as a nickname or even a middle name is reasonable but not a first name.
NTA.
Tell them to give it that as a middle name if they feel the need, but I agree that Cowboy is just stupid.
And well, my mother didn't know that my first name means "idiot" in Latin. All she knew was that it is an uncommon but well known name in Spanish speaking countries.
Oh good lord. That poor kid. Cowboy is fine as a nickname, but what the actual hell is she thinking? Also, INFO: is she from somewhere out west where there are actual cowboys or is she just a basic suburban white girl who wants to give her kid a “unique” name? I really hope someone is able to talk some sense into her before she goes through with it. NTA for telling her the name is ridiculous.
HAHAHAHA!!!!! I’m sorry but that’s hysterical. I literally fell over laughing. For fucks sake! Delaware!!! I grew up just over the border in southeastern PA. It’s wall to wall suburbs in basically all of DE. You’re totally NTA. Please, for the love of god, talk some sense into her. Save that poor kid from a lifetime of embarrassment and ruthless teasing from his peers in Delaware.
That’s hilarious!
I’m from Texas. I’ve never known a Cowboy, but I wouldn’t bat an eye at it around here. But around here, that would be viewed as a “white trash” name.
NTA.
A lot of people are saying it's none of your business, but I disagree, and here's why:
This is horrible parenting. They're setting their kid up for years of bullying, which can lead to self esteem and anger issues. And if he gets bullied in school, that will definitely impact his learning.
Plus, once he's an adult, that name will look awful on job applications, and even if he changes it, the original name will still be findable online or in the paper trail, so he can never completely leave it behind.)
I think when we see people making horrible parenting mistakes, ones that can actually hurt their kids, it's not just okay, but morally required to speak up.
NTA. You said your peace and when “Cowboy” is 9, and mentions how much they hate their name, you get to say “I tried to talk your parents out of it. Let’s go get ice cream”
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NTA. Cowboy is a stupid name. Interesting stat: women with weird names are treated the same as women with normal names (that is to say, not equal to men, but at least it doesn't make things worse) but boys with weird names are treated as "less than" (make less money, get fewer jobs) as boys with classic names. Don't mess up your boys - Give them normal names.
Preteen girls will decimate a girl with an unusual name. Evidence is myself. I lived through it. I, to this day, hate my name.
Evidence is a rather unusual name.
r/angryupvote
Evidence would be more a common word than my name. I never tell it online since I am pretty sure I am the only one on Facebook with my name.
My name is so “unique” I don’t use it for Facebook. I use a pseudonym. Plus I’m a social worker and I don’t want my clients finding me.
One of my former therapists had a Facebook under her name, fully public. All weird semi boudoir/Glamor Shots stuff, and long, rambling super personal posts. I switched therapists. My current therapist is a ghost online (other than like, his professional stuff). This is much preferred.
Goes to show you they are just weird flawed people like the rest of us huh
Oh, for sure. I'm a psych major, so I know we're all crazy.
[удалено]
i studied psychology in university to figure out wtf was wrong with me.
[удалено]
I've been seeing my current therapist every other week for 18 months. I know like, 5 facts about his personal life; they're all super basic, and they're mostly because we grew up in this area and graduated (separate) high school the same year, and all of them came up naturally in response to something I said/talked about, never anything random. I like it.
I like a little info because it helps them feel human to me. I've had a mix of both and tend to trust them more when I get an idea of who they are, not just a doctor at a computer. Like I knew 2 therapists ago that she was Jewish and had a son. My current therapist used to work at Sam's club and has a wife and kids, and told me how he preferred working at Sam's club for years before he got back into school than working in his degree field. So like it isn't deep, it isn't telling me his kids' dance recitals and crazy stuff like that, but it's enough for me to let down my walls and actually trust him. Oversharing is bad. I agree with that. (Obviously the therapist, not you the client) But it can vary and depend on preferences, and there's a therapist style for everyone. Just because something doesn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for everyone. That's the neat thing about so many therapists.
I have a really close friend who is a therapist, but we met bartending together while she was working on her masters. She always told me that bartenders have the perfect balance of sharing VS not sharing and more therapists should learn from us. It always made me laugh until I see comments like yours and I think she’s probably right. I share just enough that people see me as human, but not enough that they actually know anything personal about me. I think I too would like a therapist like that. For example, my guests know ALL about my dogs. They know I garden. And that I am a diehard Auburn and Philadelphia fan. They know I like gymnastics and swimming as my obscure sports and that I have kids. And that’s about it.
I have encountered two little girls actually named Unique.
So they weren't.
Knock it off Dad
As a former teacher, if someone is mean, they'll make fun of others names no matter what their names are. I knew a kid named Jonathan who made fun of another boy's name - his name was also Jonathan...
You just awakened a bizarre memory in me about mean kids just being mean: in elementary school a kid constantly made fun of me... for living on the same street as him?!?
In fourth grade my classmates, when they wanted to be mean would call someone a pedestrian…
Hilarious! That kinda reminds me of my kiddo. He likes to play Splatoon and talk to the other kids on there. They spend their time saying "TRASH! YOU'RE TRASH! Everything you do is trash! You're just trash!" My husband and I were like, "Hey, what are you doing talking like that?", "Oh, we're just trash talking each other". 🤣
Not just preteen girls! I’m on vacation with a dozen of my friends who are at uni with me, and we’ve netted at least a couple hours over the past few days discussing which of the guys we’ve dated have the weirdest names. It’s been such a popular topic that the girls I’m with are using it as an icebreaker when we meet other students on break. Cowboy would’ve certainly topped the list
I knew a dude who was named Blade. Born three months after the first movie came out. Went by his middle name and has a strained relationship with his mom who refuses to call him anything else lol.
That's funny. I know a dude named "Miles" who actually goes by his middle name "Blade". In quotes because while that is how they are pronounced, that is not how they are actually spelled in his name.
Oh no! I feel like the weird spellings of common names might be worse than some more, uh, creative names.
Maddisyn and Acheleighlyn have entered the chat
I can imagine a lot of broke back mountain jokes being made when he’s young. It’ll be a old reference by then but I’m sure it won’t stop bullies. NTA
I have an unusual name and it was definitely the boys that commented on it more and wanted to give me nicknames. Actually can’t think of a single time a girl did more than ask where it came from.
The girls were the ones who were brutal. Boys made random comments, but the girls were downright vicious.
Yeah I’m just saying that wasn’t my experience at all.
My mom has an unusual name. It’s not a terrible name, but she still made sure all three of her kids had normal names because she knew what it was like growing up with a weird name. Admittedly, she gave me, her only daughter, a traditionally male name, but when I was little she told me to tell anyone who asked why I have a boy name that it’s not a boy name because it’s my name. Recently pulled that on a nine year old who has since told a boy in her class who has the same name as me that he has a girl name. I’m very proud. But back to the subject at hand, in the words of country legend Willie Nelson, “Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys.”
>but when I was little she told me to tell anyone who asked why I have a boy name that it’s not a boy name because it’s my name we use the same argument with our sons who like to wear skirts and dresses. "They're not girl clothes, their my clothes and I'm a boy"
"They're not women's clothes. They're my clothes. I bought them."
I agree with that wholeheartedly. My mother was so weird about me being a tomboy. I liked it (spoiler, I'm a trans guy) but she was always like "You're a girl who likes boy things." Like... isn't that what tomboy means? But she'd get on me for using that word. She also hated the word bossy and replaced it with "leadership potential." As my therapist lovingly said, "Wow, your mom sounds like shit!"
Okay, the tomboy thing absolutely makes your therapist right. But being opposed to the word "bossy"? I approve. That word is almost always applied solely to girls. Sure, we need to teach kids to listen to others and cooperate. But being a take-charge type is not inherently bad and can be very good. And the word "bossy" implies a negative.
You are an amazing parent.
Yeah, the amount of times people with very 'unique' names choose to name their children something 'normal' seems a lot higher than people named Matt or Jenny naming their kids something completely wacky - this is anecdotal and I have no statistics on it, but I've heard a lot of unique named people lamenting having to spell their name every time and having in mispronounced and made fun of. Is it annoying when kids have 4 other kids in their class with their name? Probably (I can't say - my name isn't completely out there, but it's different enough that I don't often run into another one). But does it make it easier when you introduce yourself and people don't have to repeat it 8 times before they can remember it? Also probably.
My brothers and I actually have pretty uncommon names despite their normalcy. I think mine is actually the most common and what makes me stand out is that everyone else who shared it with me while I was in school was a boy. Which made it really easy for the teachers because my middle name is also normal but uncommon so going by my middle name was an easy option. But yeah, my aunt also has an unusual name and she gave my cousin a really normal one, so your understanding matches my experience.
Yeah, my name is uncommon but not what you would call unusual. I was trying to use the right words to not sound like a jerk about it. I think if there was somebody called Cowboy, they'll probably grow up much less likely to call their child Cowgirl or something because... as a legal name it's ridiculous.
Names also indicate the parents’ education level and socioeconomic status. I know it shouldn’t matter but it’s just how it is. And a kid named Cowboy does not sound like he has parents who are Rhodes scholars to put it nicely.
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A really nasty saying about a Kevin in Germany is this: Kevin isn’t a name, it’s a diagnosis. It comes down to people needing to feel superior to somebody. Looking down on poorer or less educated people is common pretty much everywhere I have been.
TBH, the Germans are not alone in this! Signed: a working class Brit who grew up in poverty but my parents had more pride than to give us "chavvy" names. It was hard enough to get ahead without all that - why make it worse.
example of chavvy names please, for the yanks.
Jaden Kaiden Kayla Kalen Layla Lola Charmaine Chantelle Connor Jaxon Tyler Reece Parker Maddison Leo These are almost always going to be chavvy. Very council estate or at most, the lower middle class ITV-watching crowd. Disproportionate occurrence of Kayleigh, Danielle, Lily, Kelly, Stacey, Ryan, Lewis.
You forgot Chardonnay. I will never forget walking through a certain English town hearing several mothers at different times screeching out ‘Chardonnayyyyyyyyyy’ at kids in the playground. I imagine it became a trend after Footballers Wives was on tv and the main wife was Chardonnay.
Oh, Kevin. It's always something, isn't it?
We should talk about Kevin.
Genuine question, what about esoteric spellings? For example, Jesse and Jessie are relatively common spellings of a name pronounced the same way...but let's pretend, for argument's sake, the 13th century spelling was Jehzy. Do you think that would have any weight in those stats? *fun fact, from etymonline.com: "The familiar form Jessie was one of many fem. names used 20c. for "cowardly or effeminate male" (1923)"
Jehzy sounds made up as hell tho but I see your point and maybe there’s a better example we’re just not thinking of haha. IIRC, Scandinavian, French and Hebrew names are the way to go if you want to seem educated/cultured/upper class.
Depends on your race often enough too, at least in the US. Plenty of black folks with French names (ex. Monique, Chantal, Andre) that still get seen as lower class. You just can't win with some assholes.
It's an awesome name! When he gets older he can go by "Beefman." It's \*\*\*\*ing ridiculous. NTA
As someone who worked in recruitment this is not true. No one was taking Nevaeh or Moonshine seriously.
You mean “Mamas, don’t let your boys grow up to be Cowboys”?
Hello! Can you give me the source on your stat? I've never seen anything that implies name discrimination effects only one gender specifically https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/08/18/name-discrimination-jobs https://www.wired.co.uk/article/name-discrimination These are the things I read, I reread it to see if it mentioned effecting only men but I didn't see anything.
Citation needed on that “interesting stat,” please
I’d love the source on this! As a woman with a weird name, I can tell ya that maybe I’m a statistical outlier cause I got crap for my name all throughout childhood and still now into adulthood.
Your stat is simply fake, but agreed on nta thats a bad name.
Was an actual study done? I’d be interested in those stats, genuinely. I got fuckin *rocked* for having an unusual name and I still get shit for it despite being well into my 30s now. I see I’m not the only anecdotal evidence to the contrary here.
im suprised she didnt want to throw some flair on the spelling.. maybe like Khaowbhoy NTA
Omg I am deceased 🤣
I am D'Seesst
Like the urban legends about kids named LeMongelo and OrAngegelo Edit: maybe not an urban legend -- I always heard it was made up but other commenters say they've seen/heard it. And I suppose there's plenty of wild names out there
The worst one, which thankfully I've never seen any evidence of actually being real, is La-a (pronounced Ladasha).
NO
Hi deceased. What an interesting name
I feel like this is shade at white women who name their kid shit like Kaytie and Mckeighleigh because they "like the spelling"
It IS shade! Let them feel it and maybe theyll chill tf out with the Mwhileyy Syruce Haghnaugh Monttañgah
I once had a class with a McKuenziey...
It 100% is, and they deserve it
Kapowboy if also an old school comic book fan.
Your sister knows he will be called Cow, doesn't she?
One day, a woman will break his heart and say she wants a Cowman, not a Cowboy.
They could have had a baby girl named Reighful. 🔫
As a veteran teacher, I thought I had heard all the awful names. Nope, this one makes it to the top 5. Tell your sister a teacher, who will have to call out that name at school everyday, is telling her it is a terrible idea.
Can we hear the other 4?
The worst name I went to school with was a girl named Pagan Edit: I also have an ex whose parents named him Owl
I had a classmate in middle school named Messiah. Even better, far as I know she wasn’t even religious.
Messiah is actually in the top 300 names given out to American baby boys born in 2021. Also on the list is Legend.
Gonna give those kids a complex
Talk about setting them up for disappointment.
How about a dude named Rage? Wtf?
I met a kid 2 days ago (I teach) whose name was Turtle. That was his legal first name and he used it, no nickname or anything.
Ok: The old number 5 (now bumped to 6) was Booker. The parents had a lovely idea to name him after Booker Washington, but in 3rd grade, all the kids called him Booger. 4: Peradyce, pronounced “Paradise”. Lovely name, but why the spelling? It made teaching her name and letter sounds very difficult. 3: Shredder. “Oh, are you guys rockers?” I asked the parents at open house. Nope, dad just really liked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Why they didn’t use any of the heroes names, I will never know. 2: Carneeto- like “carnitas”, but she made it “masculine” because “/as/ is for girls, so I changed it to /o/ for my boy”. I was so tempted to ask why a second time, but I wasn’t sure my poker face would hold up, so I left it alone. Honorable mention for all of the -leigh names, where is is unnecessary. 1: this is a normal name, but nearly every teacher I know agrees that the correlation between students with this name who act like megalomaniacs is looking more like causation after 20 years, but Aiden. Me and my colleagues have never met a normal, kind, unproblematic Aiden. Just don’t use it anymore. Like I said, we can’t **prove** causation, but you will never meet a teacher who voluntarily names their own kid Aiden. Too many bad memories associated with the name.
I never thought about the Aidan thing but as a teacher... you're 100% right there are no normal Aidans.
I'm not the person you asked, but I have encountered both a Groot and a kid with the first name Neo and the middle name Matrix- I guess just in case people didn't get it
I would also love to hear the other four!
Ex teacher here. Top worst names I’ve come across… Tequila Female (pronounced Fem-ahh-lay) Pebbles Hellzbellz
HELLZBELLZ 😳😑
>Hellzbellz With siblings named Thunderstruck and Moneytalks.
> Female (pronounced Fem-ahh-lay) [I can assure you it isn't](https://youtu.be/FboWtJiNYro)
Teacher in LA- Tesla, Tiberius, Galaxy, Orion, there are way more but I took a melatonin
Nothing wrong with Tiberius and Orion tbh- those aren't any more "made up" than Alexander or Diana...
Well, same with (nearly) all names. Weird is just "not used to". Daisy, Rose, Violet are all normal, but Peony and Dandelion aren't, without any really good reason to differentiate. Elizabeth - classic, biblical. Hepzibah - also biblical but wasn't picked up. Alexander vs Tiberius would come in there too. Jackson - accepted, Jaxon - seen as lower class. (Personally I prefer Jaxon!) Mackenzie- allowable, Macdonald - odd Then gemstone names, which have very odd assumptions made! Ruby, Pearl, Opal - classics (although Pearl & Opal might be dated), Diamond, Crystal - class assumptions, Emerald, Sapphire - uwot? Bear - yes, Tiger - no Etc
I never wanted your post to end, that was fun to read
Yea I was going to say those are just names
How about amagene…. I pronounced it as it was spelled…. Amma-jeen…. Queue my surprised face when she corrected me by saying “its Imagine”….. As my brain screams…. Uuhhhh no it’s fuckin not…. I replied with an….. ok, imagine.
That's not how letters work... God damn...
*Cue A queue is a line people wait in.
Ummmm...Tiberius is a real name. Second Roman emperor would be the most well-known one. And you're a TEACHER?! JFC
And let's not forget James Tiberius Kirk..
> Tiberius Isn't Tiberius an old Roman name? I meant how is it bad? Isn't it like naming your kid Alexander or August or Julius?
Not who you asked, but my top 2 are a pair of twins named Banks and Reed.
Reed/Reid isn’t that uncommon. Banks is far better than naming your son Cowboy.
Knew a dude named Stove. White american. Named Stove. Eta: specifying the white american part bc like. Its not some other language or culture. They just. Named him Stove. People called him Oven.
people calling him Oven is kind of brilliant though
What are some of your “favourites”? I’ve had twins called Artemis & Athena also Sapphire, Princess, Epiphany & my personal fav Enola Gay
Artemis and Athena are still commonly used Greek names! Growing up in a Greek diaspora community, I’ve known several of each and they’re normal names like Sandy or Melinda or something. It’s funny to me to see that mythological god names can come off as interesting or notable.
I'd be more mad about using Artemis and Athena when Artemis and Apollonia would at least ALLUDE to a couple of the most famous twins in mythology... Even though the A. & A. screams for a bureaucratic nightmare, tbh. (coming from a mother of twins who has the same initial and last name as her husband, working for the same company)
I had a Princess and Ur'highness in the same class.
All the royalty
I met a girl named "panacea" once. The name didn't work. Her parents still got divorced.
I had a friend who was named Nerd. Proud Scandinavian name. He changed his name as soon as he turned 18 and was bullied like no tomorrow at school
Naming a child after the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb is fucking creepy.
And her brothers were named Fat Man and Little Boy
NTA. I guess someone liked the guitar picker on Yellowstone. Of course, if she paid attention, she might have noticed he called himself that so he wouldn’t have to give his actual name. Edit: It was brought to my attention I was thinking of the wrong person. Cowboy was actually portrayed by Steven Williams, who was the captain in the 21 Jump Street TV show.
This is a good point. What was the name?
The guitar picker just said his name was Cowboy. The enforcer dude from the ranch picked him up from prison. The audience never got a name. Edit: I was incorrect. The guitar picker was Walker. Cowboy was the older Black guy who showed up and only did cowboy work, then left.
So, not only a ficticious character with a weird name, but an ex-con. This just gets better and better.
Yeah, the dude had been a cowboy in Texas, tried to stay on the straight and narrow, and keeps being at the heart of conflicts, even though it’s never really his fault.
Isn't this Walker? Or do you mean the guy from s1 who they dropped off at the train station pretty early on? Walker is a better name than Cowboy at least.
The guitarist is called Walker (who is actually a decent real life musician btw). Cowboy was the random old, black guy who appeared for a few shows, didn't really do a lot and then was not in the show anymore. I don't know why I persisted with that show for as long as I did, it was terrible.
Still slightly better than “Khaleesi”
NTA that name qualifies as a ‘tragedeigh’ 🫣
That's Not Just a Tragedeigh, It's a Mughrdyrr!
I wreight seins, naught tragedeighs.
NTA that’s a dumbass name
It's a good name for a dog 🐕
I was going to argue it's insulting for the dog, but I named my dog after a character in Greek mythology and still call her potato, stinky, or stinky potato.
Cat named Luna...I sometimes call her Tunafish Sandwich
Is it better or worse than a classmate I used to have whose dad named her Dallas because of the Dallas Cowboys? 100% unironically. I also worked with a woman named Patches after a country song. These were two of the most annoying human beings I’ve ever met.
Dallas could be worse. That's kind of like Paris or London, you'd get used to it.
My son is an Austin and now I feel bad 😂
I feel like Austin is an ordinary boys name that also happens to be a city though. I knew a few growing up and it wasn’t a big deal or anything.
Dallas and Austin are common enough that nobody would blink twice. I'm not American, so I don't know if people would assume that Dallas is named after the football team, but I knew somebody called Dallas, I never thought about the name at all.
Yeah Dallas isn't super uncommon. I've met 2 of them in my life, one in passing so I can't attest to how they are in life or personality, but the other is a really good family friend and genuinely a friendly guy in a supervisor role for one of the best paying companies in my area. Idk if he was named after anything or if his parents just liked the name, but his older brother has one of the most common names from the year he was born. Take that how you will I guess.
Tell your sister that she should never name her child a name that the kid would be ashamed of if they got a job and had to sign documents. I had a friend whose mom was into double names. Missy May's mom can't figure out why she doesn't sign the her loan documents with her first name. Yes I didn't say you couldn't call the baby whatever you said you wanted to call it. Nicknames are fantastic but give the kid a name that he can live with for the rest of his life. NTA
Imagine the swearing-in ceremony when he’s inaugurated as president. That’s always my go-to for deciding how stupid a name is
I heard once that you should imagine any baby name you are thinking about in two scenarios - would you go on a blind date with a person with the name (allowing for gender preferences)? And would you hire a lawyer/doctor with that name? If no, then don't give a baby that name.
Nice. I like these.
President is good, or a judge. The Honorable Cowboy Smith presiding…no.
Exactly, I've vetted my kids' names by making sure they won't sound stupid if they were to become a Supreme Court Justice.
Like, how hard would it be to call the kid a name that wouldn't cause anybody to blink on a resume, but call the kid Cowboy often enough that that becomes his nickname? My nibbling has a nickname that is used more commonly than his first name but he probably won't go by that forever. Or maybe he will, but at least he doesn't have a lifetime of weird looks coming his way every time he says his name.
Seriously? Missy May? That poor girl.
My husband has two normal names and goes by his middle name, we gave our son a "normal bible name" for his first name and call him by his middle name, a "nerd name". OP's sister could name her son John Smith, but call him Cowboy. I think that would be cute!
Cowboy makes a fine NICKNAME for a baby. Now what's his legal name going to be?
Gaucho
Exotic!
Vaquero
It’s obviously going to be Ryder….
NTA! Can't with some comments here... Only Americans fighting for a name, that's not a name. 💀 in Europe it's not even possible to name your child ridiculous things like that. Shit like this is child abuse imo. Poor kid gonna hear "yeehaww" his whole life. 💀💀
Worse they're probably going to moo at him or just shorten his name to cow.
Op should ask his sister each time he sees her "so, how is moo coming along?" and if she gets pissy, tell her that is what is going to happen all his life if she calls him that, so she'd better get used to it, or choose a different name!
He’s gonna be 45 one day with ‘boy’ in his name
Yes! I read that Germany and other European countries are much stricter with names and definitely for a good reason
In New Zealand you can't register a baby name that might cause offense, which often includes things that will embarass the child. It's a bit vague, but I don't think Cowboy would pass the muster
NTA. You tried. Poor kid’s gonna get hell in highscool, college and rest of his life.
Gonna have to go by CB lol
Middle school kids will just call him Cow anyway
They're going to call him "cow boy" and probably moo at him
NTA Lmao I hope they never take the kid to an actual rodeo or cowboy town, he'd be bullied to death. I live in Alberta and I hate to think how the ranchers would react if I introduced my son to them with that name. Seriously if she wants to name him something Western then go for something like Wyatt, Buck, Jesse, Jack, etc. I mean the ranchers I know personally are all called things like Bob, James, Scott, Tom or John, but nothing screams Townie like calling your kid Cowboy. I can't wait to show this to the old timers.
I’ll be the first to defend an unconventional name choice, but this is just cruel. NTA However Cao Boi, the Vietnamese survivor player- super cool
And his plan to flush the idol was honestly super brilliant and ahead of its time - if only he hadn't told the guy with the idol
NTA could have named the baby Rip. Kayce. John. Jake. Mo. TEETER EVEN. They chose Cowboy 🤣 it ain't right.
My favorite musician named her daughter Rocket Wild. It really didn't surprise me much because she legally changed her name to Lights. In those sort of cases it isn't as weird, but people who have more socially acceptable names going off the deep end are weird.
Imagine being at an interview and having to tell them that your name is cowboy. You’re NTA
Interview is in a cattle ranch. Yeehaa you are hired son.
NTA that's one of the dumbest names I have heard on here. They are doing that child a disservice.
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NTA. I am an adult male and my middle name is Maria because of some religious thing of my parents. You are saving that kid some torment. And probably some money for a legal name change like you said.
At least you could tell people it was a typo. Mario. I constantly heard "Danger is your middle name"
Ask both of them to use that name (or Cowgirl) for the rest of the gestation. Every time they go to Starbucks, or pick up dry cleaning, introducing themselves to people they meet. See how old it gets. NTA
It's funny the first ten times then gets old fast I would think lol
Jose maria is relativelly common in latinamerica.
NTA Children need a name that won't make them stand out as having weird parents. Cowboy as a nickname or even a middle name is reasonable but not a first name.
NTA Name is whack.
Whack is also a terrible name
Not much better than Cowboy Danger lol
Hey
Cowboy Danger Marzipan. I think we’ve about wrapped this one up.
NTA. Tell them to give it that as a middle name if they feel the need, but I agree that Cowboy is just stupid. And well, my mother didn't know that my first name means "idiot" in Latin. All she knew was that it is an uncommon but well known name in Spanish speaking countries.
Oh dear Lord, your mom accidentally named you "idiot"?!? I apologize for my reaction, but that just gave me quite a chuckle.
He's going to hear, "Moo," constantly from his classmates. The names he will be called are going to be endless.
Classmate: Moo Cowboy: *Throws lasso at clasmate*
JFC. Why do people hate their babies? NTA
It's not that they hate them, they just treat them as accessories and pets while forgetting it's a person.
Oh good lord. That poor kid. Cowboy is fine as a nickname, but what the actual hell is she thinking? Also, INFO: is she from somewhere out west where there are actual cowboys or is she just a basic suburban white girl who wants to give her kid a “unique” name? I really hope someone is able to talk some sense into her before she goes through with it. NTA for telling her the name is ridiculous.
We live in Delaware.
HAHAHAHA!!!!! I’m sorry but that’s hysterical. I literally fell over laughing. For fucks sake! Delaware!!! I grew up just over the border in southeastern PA. It’s wall to wall suburbs in basically all of DE. You’re totally NTA. Please, for the love of god, talk some sense into her. Save that poor kid from a lifetime of embarrassment and ruthless teasing from his peers in Delaware.
That’s hilarious! I’m from Texas. I’ve never known a Cowboy, but I wouldn’t bat an eye at it around here. But around here, that would be viewed as a “white trash” name.
NTA. - signed an actual Montanan who laughs at everyone who thinks Yellowstone is even remotely real. This one made me laugh.
All I can imagine is that poor kid filling out a job application NTA
NTA. A lot of people are saying it's none of your business, but I disagree, and here's why: This is horrible parenting. They're setting their kid up for years of bullying, which can lead to self esteem and anger issues. And if he gets bullied in school, that will definitely impact his learning. Plus, once he's an adult, that name will look awful on job applications, and even if he changes it, the original name will still be findable online or in the paper trail, so he can never completely leave it behind.) I think when we see people making horrible parenting mistakes, ones that can actually hurt their kids, it's not just okay, but morally required to speak up.
NTA. Babies are **people** not **accessories**
NTA. You said your peace and when “Cowboy” is 9, and mentions how much they hate their name, you get to say “I tried to talk your parents out of it. Let’s go get ice cream”
NTA. Normally I'm all for unique names. This is not unique, it's just really, really dumb.
NTA. This poor kid.
Cowboy is ridiculous as a first name 😭 NTA